Joe Morgan Memorial Round 2 – John Sterling vs Skip Bayless

Round 2 opens today with another great matchup between the only local announcer to make the last 16 and ESPN’s windbag of debating debauchery. The voice of the Yankees, John Sterling, battles with the centerpiece of ESPN’s First Take, Skip Bayless. Like Round 1, polls will be open until the next matchups go live the next day and we’ll have two Second Round matchups going each day. That means Round 2 will go from Thursday-Sunday with the recap and Quarterfinal draw coming Monday.

John Sterling vs Skip Bayless

John Sterling

Fact File: New York Yankees play by play man

Why He’s Here: Sterling is one of those rare announcers that has become a caricature of himself. His Bermanesque homerun calls can be painful even for the most ardent of Yankee fans. They wouldn’t be so bad if Sterling didn’t routinely botch even the simplest of commentary. His trademark “Yankees win, THHHEEEE YANKEEEEES WIIIINNN” call is the anthem of the seventh circle of hell for baseball fans outside New York.

Why He’s Here: The former antagonizing columnist transformed into an antagonizing TV personality with his transition to first Cold Pizza and then First Take on ESPN2. Bayless traditionally squares off against a debate partner in segments that contain enough hot air to lift the Hindenburg. Often, Bayless will say outlandish things just for the sake of saying outlandish things. Thankfully, most people have stopped listening.